The Rise of Conservatism in America, 1945-2000 A Brief History with Documents

by Story, Ronald; Laurie, Bruce

• ISBN13: 9780312450649
• ISBN10: 0312450648
• Edition: 1st
• Format: Paperback
• Copyright: 2007-03-21
• Publisher: Bedford/St. Martin's

Summary

The last half of the twentieth century saw the advent of a new conservative movement in the United States, a coalition that shared a common determination to redefine the American government, culture, and economy. In this volume Ronald Story and Bruce Laurie present a rich variety of primary sources, including speeches, cartoons, party platforms, and editorials, that speak to the remarkable impact of the conservative movement, from its solvent think tanks to its grassroots support. Outspoken intellectuals such as William F. Buckley and George Gilder, charismatic political figures such as George Wallace, Barry Goldwater, and Ronald Reagan, and powerful organizations like the Southern Baptist Convention and the National Rifle Association weigh in on such issues as the death penalty, taxation, gun control, affirmative action, abortion, and foreign policy. The authors' lucid introduction traces America's turn to the right from the demise of New Deal liberalism to the election of George W. Bush in 2000, examining the conservatives' motivations and strategies and the key events that fostered the rise of conservative attitudes. Each document is preceded by a headnote, helping students understand how the author and his or her line of thinking fit into the story of the movement. A timeline, questions for consideration, and a list of suggested readings also aid comprehension of the material.

Author Biography

RONALD STORY taught social, political and military history at the University of Massachusetts Amherst and elsewhere for many decades before retiring in 2006. Among his works are A Concise Historical Atlas of World War II (2005), Five Colleges (1993), Sports in Massachusetts (1991), A More Perfect Union (1984–1995), The Forging of an Aristocracy (1980), Generations of Americans (1976); thirty articles and essays; and two digital works, The Jackie Robinson Educational Archives (1998) and The American Civil War (1996).

BRUCE LAURIE is professor of history at the University of Massachusetts Amherst, where he teaches courses in U.S. labor, comparative slavery and emancipation, and historiography. His books include Beyond Garrison: Antislavery and Social Reform (2005) and Artisans into Workers (1989). He has received fellowships from the National Endowment for the Humanities and the American Antiquarian Society and is a Co-Education Director of a Fulbright Summer Institute at Amherst College.

Table of Contents

Foreword	p. v
Preface	p. vii
Introduction: The Making of a Movement	p. 1
First Steps, 1945-1968	p. 5
Expanding the Base, 1968-1980	p. 12
Clean Sweep, 1980-2000	p. 20
The Documents	p. 33
First Steps, 1945-1968	p. 35
America Turns the Corner, July 11, 1947	p. 35
Platform of the States' Rights Democratic Party, 1948	p. 38
Lincoln Day Address, February 20, 1950	p. 40
Farewell Address to Congress, 1951	p. 43
From The Conservative Mind, 1953	p. 46
Publisher's Statement on Founding National Review, November 19, 1955	p. 49
Why the South Must Prevail, August 24, 1957	p. 52
From The Blue Book of the John Birch Society, 1959	p. 54
From The Conscience of a Conservative, 1960	p. 59
The Sharon Statement, 1960	p. 64
From Capitalism and Freedom, 1962	p. 66
Rendezvous with Destiny, October 24, 1964	p. 69
Who Is Accommodating to What? May 4, 1965	p. 72
Expanding the Base, 1968-1980	p. 75
George Wallace for President Brochure, 1968	p. 75
Two Speeches, October 20, 1969, and October 30,1969	p. 77
Defense of the Republic, April 7, 1970	p. 81
Capital Punishment, December 3, 1971	p. 82
Confidential Memorandum: Attack on American Free Enterprise System, August 23, 1971	p. 84
"You in a Heap o' Trouble, Son," March 17, 1972	p. 89
Labor Day Radio Address, 1972	p. 90
Act Before It Is Too Late, September 1974	p. 94
From Affirmative Discrimination, 1975	p. 97
The Taxfighters Are Coming! November 1975	p. 100
Interview with the Washington Star, January 18, 1976	p. 103
Common Sense and the Common Danger, 1976	p. 107
The NEA: A Washington Lobby Run Rampant, November 1978	p. 110
American Weakness, September 1979	p. 113
Building the Moral Majority, August 1979	p. 114
Nomination Acceptance Speech, 1980	p. 118
Clean Sweep, 1980-2000	p. 122
From Wealth and Poverty, 1981	p. 122
Speech to the National Association of Evangelicals, March 1983	p. 126
Social Security: Continuing Crisis or Real Reform? 1983	p. 129
Resolution on Abortion, June 1984	p. 132
Report on Privatization, March 18, 1988	p. 134
Opinion on the Juvenile Death Penalty, 1988	p. 139
George Bush's Hidden Tax: The Explosion in Regulation, 1992	p. 143
Abortion Drawings, 1993	p. 147
From Dead Right, 1994	p. 149
Resolution on Homosexual Marriage, June 1996	p. 153
Middle-Class Families Need a Flat Tax, 1999	p. 158
Anti-Christ Philosophy Already Controls America and Europe, September 1999	p. 160
Nomination Acceptance Speech, 2000	p. 163
Appendixes
A Chronology of the Conservative Movement (1947-2000)	p. 167
Questions for Consideration	p. 171
Selected Bibliography	p. 173
Index	p. 181
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